CENTRAL PARC
Ambitious project in Laval marks Saroukian Group’s first major foray into Quebec after 30 years in Edmonton
It’s ambitious, for sure, and even a little crazy, admits George Saroukian, one of the men behind Laval’s Central Parc development which will welcome its first occupants next spring.
He’s talking about a luxury rental complex, on 10 acres of land, offering everything from dog wash stations to food delivery storage and a four-season outdoor living room. “Yeah, you have to be a little crazy,” he said, laughing.
The sprawling complex south of Highway 440 and steps from Carrefour Laval will feature six 22-storey buildings surrounding a 50,000-square-foot green space a protected area filled with mature trees, lush vegetation and private walking trails in the middle of the project. Originally slated to take six years and include a hotel and 20,000 square feet of commercial space, Saroukian said digging began for the project last November and things are moving ahead of schedule. “We think we can get it done in four years.”
The Saroukian Group’s real estate complex will feature about 1,500 rental units, an increasingly attractive option for Quebecers and for developers who recognize a lucrative market in a condoweary landscape where buyers increasingly, downsizing empty nesters are viewing lifestyle and equity as not mutually exclusive.
It’s a formula that has worked for recently completed projects in Laval’s emerging “rental condo” market, including high-end rental projects within a two-square-kilometre radius: Jadco’s Équinoxe St-Elzéar, the Tours Axial and Les Tours Saint-Martin, along with Central Parc’s offer, add more than 2,000 high-end rental units to the local rental housing stock.
“We believe the recent introduction of further luxury products fur- ther confirms our viewpoint that Laval is the perfect backdrop for luxury apartments with residents who truly value a luxury lifestyle that is focused on community and nature,” Saroukian said. “In Laval, we believe you can have it all.”
After 30 years making its mark in residential, industrial and commercial sectors in Edmonton, the Saroukian Group has made Central Parc its first major foray into Quebec, on land they have held for almost 20 years.
There’s been ample opportunity over the years to develop the land, adjacent to large commercial centres and autoroutes, as a commercial commodity, but they opted for something else.
“We really want to create a lifestyle environment,” said Saroukian, who, along with his brother Jack, came to Laval for this grand project on a 10-acre parcel of land offering 1.2 million square feet of livable space on Carrefour Boulevard. “Now is the time to do something with it; we think Quebecers are very open to the concept of this type of lifestyle-focused property that we are offering.
“It’s a culture and it’s a culture people are embracing more and more.”
Most of the first tower’s 198 units will be ready for occupancy come next May, he said, with total occupancy for July 1. Apartments range in size from 630-squarefoot luxury one-bedroom units to 1,350-square-foot three-bedroom penthouse apartments. Rents start at $1,200 and go up to $2,300, depending on size and floor location.
To date, registrations from prospective tenants have been encouraging. “We’re very encouraged by the market demand and feedback,” Saroukian said, since “we have not yet launched our formal marketing campaign.” A rental suite and office will be in place by November, he added.
All apartments feature high-end finishes like high ceilings, floorto-ceiling windows with window treatments, stainless-steel appliances, full-size washer/dryer, designer lighting, high-end flooring, keyless access, balconies, designer kitchens, and more.
“The amenities are really the star,” Saroukian said. All units are air-conditioned, and tenants will enjoy secure access with three high-speed smart elevators. Atop the 22nd storey there will be a sky lounge, infinity pool, gym, fire pits, kitchen and more, he said. Hundreds of feet below, tenants will enjoy an on-site car-sharing lot, car wash bay, dog wash station, underground parking, delivery rooms and a full-service concierge service. Similar amenities are planned for each building.
Designed by Forme Studio Architectes, who designed Laval’s iconic Paton 1 luxury tower on a private island in the Rivière-desPrairies, Central Park’s six towers, which will include a luxury hotel, feature unique curved designs with towers offering different views from different viewpoints for each occupant from balconies, street level, above and in the park.
Buttressing the green ambitions of the project is the lack of vehicular access to the common grounds.
“The park will be pedestrianonly; your access and exit will never be into a parking lot or asphalt. It will always be green.” The concierge service will be far more than just a lobby meet-and-greet, Saroukian said, and will offer everything “from dry cleaning to delivering flowers. It’ll all be there.”
The protected green space will engage residents to walk in what he calls “the living room for six buildings, where you can interact with your neighbours, friends and family in nature — winter, spring, summer and fall. It’ll be therapeutic.”
“We will not only preserve an acre of densely mature and beautiful trees but will also enhance and reimagine what green space can be in a master planned project: accent lighting, internal water features, group yoga lessons in the morning, tranquil seating areas (in which to) appreciate all that is around you. And all of this is located in your ‘backyard’.”
For the commercial portion, Saroukian is pledging to put his lifestyle money where his mouth is, insisting that he’s already rejected certain national big-brand merchants who want to set up in the ground floors of the first two buildings.
“Our commitment to building a community surpasses the commercial economic value,” he said. “In other words, we want retailers to be part of our community not just tenants in a market. That is the essence of what we’re trying to build. We need to be selective as we create and curate this space that will deliver the amenities our clients are demanding. We want people to know their neighbours, and their coffee shop owner, and their dry cleaner and their baker
to be proud to live here and have this become a self-managing community,” he said, with strong emphasis on the owner/operator nature of any business setting up shop at Central Parc.
“It’s a lot like the culture we embrace in our work,” Saroukian said. “We look at details, we execute, we fulfil and we create partnerships. That’s how you create a community; through collaboration and an orchestrated approach, we can address issues (and) offer a product that challenges many developers today.
“The strength is in our team; we have dedicated professionals who fulfil and surpass our objectives. The professional expertise at work on this project is phenomenal; we don’t just work with professionals, we work with partners who take ownership in the project.”